Product packaging: it’s all in the detail

We’ve all been there: struggling to open a packet or carton and then spilling to contents onto the floor or all over your nice clean shirt. There’s nothing more frustrating than bad packaging but get it right, and you could win a whole host of new customers for your product or brand.

At its most basic product packaging is necessary to protect the product inside, keep it fresh or display it consumers. Products have to be packaged to ensure that the products are safe when shipped and distributed to stores and consumers, as well as during their display on the shelves of a shop. Consumers expect to receive their products in undamaged containers and well-packaged products help to create a good impression of a brand. Poorly packaged, damaged products can turn into a public relations nightmare, with consumers perceiving the brand or product to be sub-standard or of poor quality. Therefore getting your contract packaging right will be money well spent!

Packaging can help attract consumers to your product: well-designed packaging can persuade consumers to pick up your product and take a closer look, helping consumers to decide whether your product is the one they need to improve their lives. All elements of the design are crucial when it comes to influencing consumers: from artwork or images, through to colours and fonts.

Product packaging is also very useful when it comes to communicating information. For example, packaging usually displays an ingredient list and nutritional information, user instructions, benefits and special features. Company contact information can also be displayed which is very useful for gaining feedback – whether positive or negative – and for further product development or marketing.

Companies work extremely hard at branding their products and most product packaging features logos, tag lines and marketing information of one kind or another. Strong branding helps consumers recognise a product quickly and when done well, brands can become something of an icon, such as Coca Cola, Heinz or HP. Regardless of how a product is advertised – whether on the supermarket shelves or in a commercial – the branding that is printed on the packaging has a hugely important role in how that product is marketed.

So packaging really does matter and in this highly competitive age when we seem to be bombarded with advertising and product promotions, the importance of getting your product packing just right is absolutely crucial. Changing the packaging of your product can change consumers’ image of your brand, transforming it from a product that is often overlooked, to the most popular brand in the store.